Machine for conditioning gravel



MACHINE FOR CONDITIONING GRAVEL Filed June so, 1923 2 Sheets-$heei 1 I E l llJl Illl /H\ 3B IQI Aug. 27, 1929. KENYON MACHINE FOR CONDITIONING GRAVEL Filed June 50, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet Patented Aug. 27, 1929. I

nears s'rarss HOWARD KENYON, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

,MACHINE FOR CONDITIONING GRAVEL.

Application filed June 30, 1923. Serial N'o. 648,781.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a machine for conditioning gravel, sand, and the like.

One ob'ect of the invention is to provide a device of the character described whereby the bodies of clay or similar material, mixed with sand and gravel may be broken up and dissolved as the sand and gravel is being pumped from a submerged bed to the po1nt of delivery on dry land.

In pumping sand, gravel and the like from the bed where they are deposited, there is often mixed with said material certain bodies of clay of various dimensions, which at the present time are usually removed by hand from the sand and gravel, before the same is in condition for' marketing, and this is a tedious and expensive process. It is the object of this invention to provide a machine of the character described whereby the clay and similar foreign matter may be thorough ly broken up and dissolved, so that when the sand and gravel are discharged by the pump onto the screen commonly used for this purpose, all of the foreign matter will be washed out through said screen leaving the sand and ravel clean.

Another object of the invent-ion is to provide a device of the character described which may be readily attached to the suction or the discharge line or the part of the pump through which sand and gravel is delivered from the bed, and whereby clay and other foreign matter will be broken up and dissolved, during the pumping operation without additional labor or expense.

WVith the above and other objects in view the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 shows a side View of the device attached to the body of the suction line and the discharge line of the pump,

Figure 2 shows an end view thereof,

Figure 3 shows a plan View with the cover plate removed,

Figure 4 shows a transverse sectional view,

Figure 5 shows a modified form of the device shown partly in section,

Figure 6 shows an end view of still another form thereof,

Figure 7 shows a transverse sectional view of the form shown in Figure 6,

discharge line, but in actual practice it will usually be suflicient to use only one of the devices. Rotatably mounted in the casing i there is a transverse shaft 5 havlng a spht drum 6 fixed thereon within the casing and this drum carries the radiating beater arms 7. The cover plate 8 of the casing 4% is removable, and has the usual manhole which is closed, while the machine is in operation, by the closure 10. The shaft 5 has the band wheel 11 through which it may be driven. In operation the shaft is rapidly rotated causing the radiating arm 7 to sweep rapidly through the mass of material passing through the pump line and consisting of water, sand or gravel, or other foreign matter including bodies of clay. These radiating arms break up the clay and cause it to dissolve.

In the form shown in Figure 5, there is a long drum-like casing 12 connected onto either the inlet line or the discharge line of the pump or both, and there is a lengthwise rotatable shaft 13 mounted in said drum, and

having the radiating beater arms 14 within the drum, and the pulley wheel 15 fixed onto the outer end of the shaft. The'drum may also have the internal inwardly projecting arms 16 which cooperate with the arms 1a. In the form shown in Figures 6 and 7 there is a cylindrical casing 17 and pump inlet or discharge line is connected into the bottom of this casing as shown in said figures. This casing has the transverse shaft 19 rotatably mounted therein having the fixed band wheel 20 mounted thereon, and carrying the radiating arms 21 within th casing, which, as they rotate, travel against the current flowing along through the bottom of the casing. This casing may also have the internal inwardly projecting arms 22, if desired, which cooperate with the radiating arms 21.

As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the arms may be hinged to the shaft, and as said shaft lOO rapidly rotates the arms will be held in radiating position, by centrifugal force and strike against the oncoming mass of material breaking up the bodies of clay or other foreign matter and causing the same to dissolve, and be ing more yieldable are consequently not so liable to become broken or distorted.

As shown in Figures 8 and 9 the shaft 5 may be provided With the spaced discs 23, 23, and the lengthwise bars 24% may have their ends anchored to the respective discs, thus forming an open cage-like drum which revolves through the flowing mass passing through the pump line, and breaks up and dissolves the bodies of clay and the like contained therein. The sand, gravel, or other material is discharged from. the discharge line 3 onto a suitable screen by means of which the foreign matter is screened from the material and the latter is left clean and in a marketable condition.

What I claim is:

In a machine for conditioning sand and gravel the combination with a pump, of a cylindrical Water tight casing on each side thereof each casing having an unrestricted inlet and an unrestricted discharge Water line, one at each end, said pump forming means for forcing fluid through one of said casings and drawing fluid through the other, each casing having aligned bearings, shafts mounted in said bearings, a drum within each casing fixed on said respective shafts, hinged spiralled radiating beaters carried by the drums, inwardly extending projections carried by each casing adapted to cooperate with the corresponding beaters, means for rotating said shafts, said water lines forming means for permitting the passage of fluid only through the lower portion of the casings beneath said beaters substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

IIOI/VARD KEN YON. 

